Dust and debris evacuator for cut-off saw

Abstract

A dust and debris evacuator is provided for a cut-off saw. The cut-off saw having a rapidly rotating disk-shaped cutting blade for cutting material and thereby producing and ejecting the dust and debris. The evacuator having a channel to receive the ejected dust and debris, and the channel having a front opening facing the cutting blade. A vacuum cleaner is preferably connected to the evacuator to clear the dust and debris from the channel. In a preferred embodiment, the cut-off saw is pivotally mounted to the evacuator.

1 . A dust and debris evacuator for use with a cut-off saw having a disk-shaped cutting blade ejecting dust and debris, the dust and debris evacuator comprising:
 a shroud body having a first end, a second end, a top, a bottom, a right side, and a left side, the shroud body having a channel defined between the first end and the second end, the channel open to the bottom of the shroud body, the channel defining a forward opening at the first end of the shroud body; and   a vacuum port including a passage to the channel;   wherein the channel is positioned behind the disk-shaped cutting blade of the cut-off saw to receive the ejected dust and debris.   
   
   
       2 . The dust and debris evacuator of  claim 1 , further comprising a blade guard surround adjacent the first end of the shroud body, the blade guard surround closely surrounding a blade guard of the cut-off saw. 
   
   
       3 . The dust and debris evacuator of  claim 1 , further comprising a pivot mount adjacent the top of the shroud body for pivotally mounting the cut-off saw. 
   
   
       4 . The dust and debris evacuator of  claim 3 , wherein the pivot mount is integrated with a front support bracket adjacent the first end of the shroud body and connected to the shroud body. 
   
   
       5 . The dust and debris evacuator of  claim 1 , further comprising a first moveable side shield and a second moveable side shield, the first moveable side shield adjacent the right side of the shroud body and the second moveable side shield adjacent the left side of the shroud body, the first and second moveable side shields variably extending a depth of the channel. 
   
   
       6 . The dust and debris evacuator of  claim 5 , wherein the first and second moveable side shields are each moveably mounted on at least one mounting slot. 
   
   
       7 . The dust and debris evacuator of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one mounting slot is included within each of the first and second moveable side shields. 
   
   
       8 . The dust and debris evacuator of  claim 4 , further comprising a first moveable side shield and a second moveable side shield, the first moveable side shield adjacent the right side of the shroud body and the second moveable side shield adjacent the left side of the shroud body, the first and second moveable side shields moveably mounted to the front support bracket and variably extending a depth of the channel. 
   
   
       9 . The dust and debris evacuator of  claim 8 , further comprising at least one evacuator support bracket connected to the shroud body positioned rearward from the front support bracket, the first and second moveable side shields also moveably mounted to the at least one evacuator support bracket. 
   
   
       10 . The dust and debris evacuator of  claim 1 , further comprising a pair of wheels adjacent the first end of the shroud body, the pair of wheels supporting the first end of the shroud body above a slab of material such that a minimal gap is formed between the bottom of the shroud body and the slab of material. 
   
   
       11 . The dust and debris evacuator of  claim 4 , further comprising a pair of wheels adjacent the first end of the shroud body, the pair of wheels rotatably mounted to the front support bracket. 
   
   
       12 . The dust and debris evacuator of  claim 1 , further comprising a pair of funneling flaps adjacent the forward opening of the channel. 
   
   
       13 . The dust and debris evacuator of  claim 1 , further comprising a vacuum cleaner with a suction port, the suction port pneumatically connected to the vacuum port. 
   
   
       14 . The dust and debris evacuator of  claim 3 , further comprising a cut-off saw adapter bracket, the cut-off saw adapter bracket adapted for mounting to a specific model cut-off saw. 
   
   
       15 . The dust and debris evacuator of  claim 14 , further comprising a cut-off saw mounting bracket pivotally mounted to the pivot mount and connected to the cut-off saw adapter bracket. 
   
   
       16 . The dust and debris evacuator of  claim 14 , wherein the cut-off saw adapter bracket is integrated with a cut-off saw mounting bracket, the cut-off saw mounting bracket pivotally mounted to the pivot mount. 
   
   
       17 . The dust and debris evacuator of  claim 1 , further comprising an in cut dust and debris deflector brush adjacent the second end of the shroud body. 
   
   
       18 . The dust and debris evacuator of  claim 1 , further comprising a framework, the framework including:
 a front support bracket with an integrated pivot mount adjacent the first end of the shroud body and connected to the shroud body;   a horizontal cross bracket connected to the front support bracket and extending rearward from the front support bracket; and   at least one evacuator support bracket connected to the horizontal cross bracket and the shroud body.   
   
   
       19 . The dust and debris evacuator of  claim 18 , further comprising a set of wheels including a front pair of wheels and a rear pair of wheels, the front pair of wheels adjacent the first end of the shroud body and connected to the front support bracket, the rear pair of wheels positioned rearward from the front pair of wheels and connected to one of the evacuator support bracket(s), and the set of wheels supporting the shroud body above a slab of material such that a minimal gap is formed between the bottom of the shroud body and the slab of material. 
   
   
       20 . A dust and debris evacuator for use with a down-cutting cut-off saw having a disk-shaped cutting blade ejecting dust and debris rearward while cutting a slot-shaped cut in a slab of material, the dust and debris evacuator comprising:
 a shroud body having a forward end, a rearward end, a top, a bottom, a right side, and a left side, the shroud body having a channel defined between the forward end and the rearward end, the channel open to the bottom of the shroud body, the channel defining a forward opening at the forward end of the shroud body; and   a vacuum port including a passage to the channel;   
     wherein the forward and bottom opening of the channel is configurable behind the disk-shaped cutting blade of the cut-off saw to receive the rearwardly ejected dust and debris, the forward end of the shroud body held a distance above the slab of material, and the rearward end of the shroud body contacting the slab of material. 
   
   
       21 . A dust and debris evacuator for use with a down-cutting cut-off saw having a disk-shaped cutting blade ejecting dust and debris rearward while cutting a slot-shaped cut in a slab of material, the dust and debris evacuator comprising:
 a shroud body having a forward end, a rearward end, a top, a bottom, a right side, and a left side, the shroud body having a channel defined between the forward end and the rearward end, the channel open to the bottom of the shroud body, the channel defining a forward opening at the forward end of the shroud body; and   a vacuum port including a passage to the channel;   
     wherein the forward and bottom opening of the channel is configurable behind the disk-shaped cutting blade of the cut-off saw to receive the rearwardly ejected dust and debris, the bottom of the shroud body adjacent the slab of material behind the cut-off saw. 
   
   
       22 . A saw assembly comprising:
 a cut-off saw including a drive mechanism housed at least partially within a drive mechanism housing, the cut-off saw including a blade that is driven by the drive mechanism in a down-cut direction, the blade being partially covered by a blade guard;   a dust collection housing that is elongated along a length that extends from a front end to a back end, the dust connection housing defining a dust collection channel extending along the length of the dust collection housing generally from the front end to the back end, the dust collection housing including a port for placing a source of vacuum in fluid communication with the dust collection channel, the dust collection housing also including an open bottom region at a bottom of the dust collection housing for allowing dust to be drawn upwardly into the dust collection channel, the dust collection housing further including an open front region at the front of the of the dust collection housing for allowing dust to enter the dust collection channel through the front end of the dust collection housing, the dust collection housing being pivotally connected to the drive mechanism housing at a pivot location positioned adjacent the front end of the dust collection housing, the front end of the dust collection housing being positioned adjacent the blade and the back end of the dust collection housing extending rearwardly beyond the drive mechanism housing.   
   
   
       23 . The saw assembly of  claim 22 , further comprising wheels for supporting the dust collection housing on a surface being cut. 
   
   
       24 . The saw assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the wheels are located generally beneath the pivot location. 
   
   
       25 . The saw assembly of  claim 22 , further comprising a cut-filler carried by the dust collection housing that aligns with the blade and is adapted to fit within a cut created by the blade in a surface being cut. 
   
   
       26 . The saw assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the dust collection housing includes a blade guard surround positioned at the front end of the dust collection housing, the blade guard surround straddling the blade guard, and wherein the dust collection housing also includes an upward extension for elevating the blade guard surround relative to a main body of the dust collection housing.